Welcome back!
After more than a year of addressing coronavirus in the community and focusing solely on the pandemic here in our e-newsletter, we're happy to return to normal.
Andy's Updates is back in its monthly form, sharing news about all aspects of the Anaheim community. And with reopening and getting back to the Anaheim we know and love, we finally have a lot more to share.
This week's issue includes:
- Fireworks
- COVID-19 update
- Wildfire ready
- Your city budget
- MyPower Savings Program
Thanks to everyone in Anaheim for doing your part to fight coronavirus in the past 15 months, and we're happy to be able to move forward together.
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Fourth of July is here and we know many are eager to celebrate the holiday after setting aside traditional block parties, picnics and gatherings with family and friends last year.
Anaheim is back, and we're all ready to kick off summer with Independence Day festivities.
With coronavirus transmission rates the lowest we’ve seen during the pandemic and the success of widespread vaccinations, we can find some comfort in the idea of coming together again.
Of course, some commonsense precautions should still be followed, especially if you’re unvaccinated, but for the most part, this year we'll be largely back to normal.
One thing that sadly hasn’t taken a break during the pandemic is the use of illegal fireworks.
As a reminder, only safe and sane fireworks are allowed in Anaheim, and they can only be used on July 4. Illegal fireworks that leave the ground and go into the air are never allowed in our city.
And due to high fire danger in east Anaheim, no fireworks of any kind -- even safe and sane -- are allowed east of the 55 Freeway.
But that doesn’t mean those in east Anaheim have to miss out on the fun.
The Anaheim Hills 4th of July Celebration returns this year to Peralta Park on Sunday, July 4. The day will kick off with a firecracker 5k/10k run and Yankee doodle dog show. The afternoon will be filled with a patriotic parade, food vendors and live entertainment. The day will wrap up with a spectacular fireworks show.
If you're planning to celebrate at home with safe and sane fireworks, please consider supporting a local school or nonprofit by purchasing from a stand here in Anaheim.
A list of stand locations and the schools or nonprofits they benefit can be found at Anaheim.net/fireworks.
During the Fourth of July weekend, we’ll have enforcement teams patrolling the city for illegal fireworks use. We know how frustrating it is to feel and hear the surprise of illegal fireworks. While enforcement remains a challenge, we do our best to focus patrols in the areas where fireworks are reported most frequently.
Tell us when and where you see or hear illegal fireworks. The more details you can provide, the better. And your report can be anonymous.
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Video Spotlight: Your City Budget |
We approved our city budget for the coming 12 months. Check out some of the highlights in this video summary. And read more about the budget below. |
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As we continue with reopening and distribute more vaccines, we're getting back to normal in Anaheim.
We continue to see low COVID-19 case numbers in Anaheim and Orange County.
We now report case data on our website and social media on a weekly basis.
Anaheim saw an increase of 36 cases in the seven days from June 19-25, down from 39 new cases the week prior, while Orange County saw 242 new cases, up from 222 last week.
As of Friday, Anaheim is at a cumulative 42,128 cases, out of 256,052 cases in Orange County.
Sadly, Anaheim has seen 895 people pass from complications of COVID-19, the condition caused by coronavirus. The county has seen a total of 5,114 deaths.
Our hearts go out to the families who have lost someone dear to them.
The county's current case rate is 0.9 per 100,000 residents.
The county's current positivity rate is 0.7 percent.
The county's current positivity rate among our harder-hit, low-income communities is 0.7 percent.
We continue to dispense vaccines in our city at community centers and mobile clinics in neighborhoods. Vaccines are also widely available through pharmacies, grocery stores and other healthcare providers.
As of June 23, 49.3 percent of our city is fully vaccinated, while 60.7 percent have received at least one shot on their way to full vaccination.
As of June 15, Anaheim, Orange County and all of California are fully reopened as we move Beyond the Blueprint. Read more here.
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With California already seeing an exceptionally hot, dry summer amid another looming drought, the risk of wildfires in southern California is even greater.
Now is the time to take steps to prepare your home and family for a wildfire or any emergency.
Preparing for an evacuation can be as simple as packing a gym bag with an extra set of clothes, making a list of important numbers or making a plan with neighbors to evacuate pets if you're not able to.
Preparing your home for a wildfire can be as easy as trimming shrubs and trees or scheduling a home safety visit with Anaheim Fire & Rescue to get detailed guidance on what you can do to prepare your home.
And you can be rest assured your Anaheim Fire & Rescue firefighters and volunteers are on high alert during hot, dry weather.
Fire watch volunteers conduct regular patrols in east Anaheim, keeping watchful eye on conditions. And the city’s wildfire fighting engines and trucks will be prepositioned in the east and ready to respond quickly.
While we hope no one has to evacuate their homes due to a wildfire, we have several plans in place to help residents evacuate safely and efficiently. This is part of our Know Your Way campaign.
Depending on where you live in east Anaheim, we have identified preset routes for you to take. Everyone is encouraged to visit Anaheim.net/KnowYourWay to become familiar with their evacuation route.
When evacuations are ordered, residents will be made aware in a variety of ways. This could come in the form of loudspeaker announcements, text messages or social media updates.
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The Anaheim City Council last week approved the $1.8 billion city budget for the coming 12 months, focusing on the start of economic recovery, major investments in parks, libraries, roads and utilities and uninterrupted service to residents, businesses and visitors.
The adopted budget is for the 12 months from July 2021 through June 2022, known as fiscal year 2021-22, and comes with the reopening of Anaheim’s visitor economy in April and continuing through 2021 and 2022.
The budget includes $566 million in spending on public safety and community services as well as on roads, parks, libraries, upgrades to our water and power systems and other investments that will directly benefit the daily lives of residents, businesses and visitors.
You can read more details about the budget here.
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As we enter an already hot summer and start seeing our energy use increase, we're all mindful of how to conserve.
If you're looking for a way to save money and help Anaheim conserve power, check out the myPower Savings Program from Anaheim Public Utilities.
By signing up for the program, you can earn credits on your utility bill by conserving energy during a myPower Savings event called by Anaheim Public Utilities.
And when you sign up, you get an instant bill credit and savings that could add up to $100 per year.
Plus, we're having a special promotion for new program participants.
If you sign up now, we're offering a $100 rebate on a smart thermostat.
You'll also be entered into a raffle to get a free smart thermostat and have it installed in your home by professionals.
You can see more and apply here.
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